Government

News

The Roads Section of the Environment & Natural Resources Directorate would like to advise the public that works to repair the boundary wall near Drummond Hay Square, Upper Jamestown, will be carried out from Monday, 14 May, through to Friday, 25 May 2018.

Works are expected to take place between the hours of 8.30am to 3.30pm each day.

The road will remain open while works are carried out but drivers are advised to use caution in this area.

The Roads Section would like to thank the public in advance for their cooperation.

St Helena Police have been consulting with the Island community as part of their Neighbourhood Policing Programme. A series of meetings and surgeries were held in April which were well attended, and a range of subjects discussed.

Concerns raised in various districts include:

The Briars

A broken street lamp was reported on the main road just above St Mary’s Church

A report was made through the ‘Report It, Sort It’ scheme and the street lamp was repaired, and the complainant updated.

Two Gun Saddle

A concern was raised about drivers speeding between Putty Hill and Constitution Road – this is seen as a safety concern

Police have shown a high visibility presence within the area both on foot and mobile. Road Safety Policing is in place and any anti-social use of our roads is being targeted. Drivers are reminded that they will be stopped and dealt with if they continue to drive in an anti-social manner. Remember, driving over the speed limit increases your chances of being in a crash and shortens the time you have to react to avoid a crash. Please drive safely.

Sea View

A concern was raised about drivers parking on a bend at Sea View which is causing other road users to drive on the next side of the road. This poses a safety issue and a request was made for double yellow lines to be painted to help deter this

It was identified that visitors to a private residence were parking on the bend. Therefore, the resident was spoken to and informed to advise their visitors to stop parking on the bend.

Alarm Forest

A concern was raised about a dog which was barking constantly because its owner was off-Island

The person who was caring for the dog was seen, the matter sorted, and no further complaints were received.

Half Tree Hollow

Concerns were raised about dogs wandering on the highway and other public places

This is a continuous concern for drivers and pedestrians and in some cases home owners as reports have been received about dogs wandering onto private property.

A dog campaign was launched and officers are monitoring the areas. If your dog is caught , you as the owner could become liable. The message to all dog owners is very simple – take care of your pet. This includes providing them with water, food, exercise, vet visits, adequate housing and most importantly not allowing your dog to wander off a leash.

New Ground

Concerns were raised about drivers speeding in the area both during the day and night

High visibility policing and speed checks were carried out, a number of drivers were stopped for speeding and the appropriate action was taken. A reminder to all drivers that any anti-social use of our roads will be dealt with.

Ladder Hill

Members of the public would like to see more Police foot patrolling in the area at different times

Officers foot patrol regularly around the Island in key places. This acts as a deterrent to would be offenders. It also highlights to residents and business owners that Police are in the respective areas and can be spoken to at any time. Should any member of the public have any concerns, you are encouraged to speak to officers during Community Engagement, pop into Police Headquarters or make prior arrangements to speak to a Police Officer of your choice at a time and a place that is convenient for you.

Kim, who transferred from HM Customs & Excise, has settled into her new role as Secretary to the Immigration Control Board/Auxiliary Immigration Officer. She is responsible for providing secretarial services to the Immigration Control Board (ICB) as well as performing Auxiliary Immigration Officer duties as and when required.

The duties of Kim’s post include arranging and attending ICB meetings to take minutes on a monthly basis and ensuring minutes of meetings are produced and follow up actions carried out – all within set timeframes. She also provides operational support to the Immigration Team, assisting with passenger arrivals and departures at the air and sea ports.

Detective Constable, Joseph Phippard, has returned to the Island having previously spent a year within the CID. He now looks forward to a further two years within the Police Directorate.

Joe has completed over 30 years within the field of investigations and is also a qualified trainer with experience of training Police Officers in places such as Tanzania and Qatar.

Joe hopes to put his experience to good use on St Helena in a way that will promote the Police Directorate and benefit the residents of the Island.

On a personal note, Joe is looking forward to renewing old friendships, re-joining his shooting club in Jamestown, and playing his Euphonium.

The monthly meeting of the Economic Development Committee was held on Thursday, 3 May 2018, and the following is a summary of the main items discussed:

Enterprise St Helena (ESH) delivered a report for the month of March. The ESH Board approved in principle the exploration of the potential for a ‘category management’ expert from a reputable/ideal entity to facilitate up-skilling in the retail sector to assist improvements in procurement, receipt and adequate storage, rotation and distribution of stock items, with consideration of the new shipment climate. ESH facilitated the launch of the 2018 Agriculture Programme with the intent of creating awareness and generating interest and support to the industry under the theme of ‘Supply Local, Buy Local’. This programme is facilitated in partnership with the Agriculture & Natural Resources Division (ANRD) and industry stakeholders, with the Working Group meeting taking place in early April and the official launch event on Saturday, 28 April 2018.

At the end of March, 50 people signed up for stargazing training. Following the publicity of this product development, interest in providing tours was received from Stephen O’Meara and his wife who carries out stargazing tour packages. Stephen O’Meara is a well renowned Astronomer who writes for the Astronomy Magazine and is a descendant of Napoleon’s Doctor, Dr O’ Meara.

St Helena also exhibited at the ITB Berlin 2018 (the World’s leading Travel Trade Show) and during the show met with 43 different tour operators, marketers and advertising companies interested in selling St Helena tour packages including fly/cruise packages.

The Committee paid special tribute to Peter Bright, former Director of Commercial Development & Enterprise, who was attending his last meeting and had completed his contract with Enterprise St Helena. Members thanked Peter for his contributions over the last two years and wished him well for the future.

The Committee endorsed a paper from Corporate Finance for a review and proposed amendments to the Customs Ordinance. The amendments are related to changes in terminology and processes (and not fees/duties). A Grants & Subsidies Policy was also agreed and will be taken forward for discussion with all Elected Members and then to Executive Council for approval. The Policy shall guide the process for awarding SHG grants and subsidies to third parties on St Helena.

Paul arrived on St Helena in January 2013 as the Social Policy Planner, responsible for providing advice and social analysis input to SHG policy and developing and implementing a national Social Policy Plan to support the Island’s Sustainable Development Plan and the overall vision of SHG.

During his five years on the Island, Paul has held a number of roles including interim Director of the Environment & Natural Resources Directorate and Acting Director of Safeguarding. Paul has also held the role of Public Guardian and has been a Director of the St Helena Hotel Development Company responsible for overseeing the construction and operation of St Helena’s first 4 star Hotel.

Paul has also played a leading role in the Renewable Energy Procurement and Submarine Cable Projects and work on these will continue. Connect Saint Helena Ltd will now be responsible for working with the preferred contractor to deliver the Renewable Energy Strategy and a Project Board is being established to oversee and manage the delivery of the Submarine Cable project. The appointment of a replacement Public Guardian will be announced later.

Chief Secretary, Susan O’Bey, said:

“It really has been a pleasure to work with Paul these past five years. In addition to his work in SHG, both he and his wife Lindsay have made active and positive contributions to Island life. Lindsay through her art and her work with schools and local organisations, and Paul through his support for New Horizons and for sharing his love of sports in his weekly radio programme on Saint FM.”

Following restructuring within Corporate Services, the majority of Paul’s role in SHG will be taken over by Gillian Francis, whose post will be re-designated Deputy Chief Secretary.

The St Helena Health Directorate has this week launched their Strategic Framework for Health Promotion on St Helena 2018-19 (HPSF). The overall aim of this framework is to reduce overweight/obesity and smoking in the Island community.

Worldwide evidence shows that losing weight and stopping smoking are the two most important ways people can reduce their risk of the diseases that are responsible for a large burden of illness, disability, and early death on the Island. These include: Type Two Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke and Cancer.

Among Saints, one in five people are Diabetic and more than half of adults have high blood pressure (early sign of heart and circulation disease). Almost seven in ten people are overweight or obese, including 42% of schoolchildren, while 36% of men and 28% of women, aged 20-65, smoke. This is much higher among Saints 20-29 years old (50% of men and 42% of women).

The HPSF was developed by working with a wide range of local people and organisations to identify the most important things that will help people make the lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk and improve their health, and the things that currently make these kind of changes difficult or unattractive.

“The strategies are designed to create a community environment where healthy choices are easier, to encourage community involvement in health, and to strengthen law and policy to support healthy behaviours and deter those that are harmful. These will be supported by a campaign, based on community members’ own thoughts on how to encourage and support Saints to make healthy changes and choices in their own way and on their own terms.”

Alongside these actions in the wider community, there will be work to strengthen the health services that provide advice, information, and support to help people develop the skills they need to successfully maintain healthy behaviours.

What the Health Directorate aims to achieve by the end of 2019:

To reduce consumption of high sugar drinks, and high fat, high salt, high sugar snack foods

To increase the ‘swapping’ of healthier food and drink options to replace the less healthy ones

To increase physical activity participation across the population

To increase the number of smokers trying to quit

How will the Health Directorate do this?

Action on Diet, Weight, Activity and Smoking:

Community Campaign to promote easy, realistic choices and changes

Workforce Wellbeing Programme

Strengthen Community Centre role in promoting health

Action on Diet & Weight:

‘Merchants Partnership for Health’

‘Hospitality Venues Partnership for Health’

Health Directorate Healthy Food Model and adapt for other Institutions

The Health Directorate is working towards the creation of Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Clinics. These clinics will be nurse led, with referrals to other professionals when needed. The Directorate is aiming to start these clinics in July 2018 after completion of some additional training.

What is a Chronic Disease?

Chronic Diseases are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression. They include heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, respiratory diseases (COPD and Asthma) and diabetes.

Why do we need Chronic Disease Management Clinics?

Patients with a chronic illness may need regular checks to monitor their health and wellbeing. This may involve certain tests, such as a blood test, a blood pressure check and sometimes an ECG (echocardiogram) to check their heart. The nurses are skilled and able to monitor patients’ health and request these tests when necessary.

Why can’t I just see my doctor?

Chronic Diseases are lived with for many years; the aim is to increase patients’ ability to better manage these diseases long term. Evidence has shown that this works well with regular check-ups with a nurse and a yearly (or six-monthly) review by a doctor. If your nurse feels at any time that you need to see a doctor sooner, they will refer you.

What are the benefits to patients?

The Directorate wants to be able to provide you with support, information and to monitor chronic diseases. The Directorate wants to help reduce the number of hospital admissions due to the complications of Chronic Diseases. The care of Chronic Diseases is delivered in both hospital and community settings and is often managed by patients themselves who become experts in their own condition and its treatment.

How will this work?

The Community Nurses will start to call patients in for CDM clinics later in the year. If you feel you have a Chronic Disease you can contact the Community Nurses to make an appointment (from July). Your assessment at this clinic will determine how frequently the nurses will need to see you.

The St Helena Health Directorate has been working very hard over the years to improve the quality and variety of the services offered within the Directorate.

Councillor Cyril Leo very recently published a letter in the local press requesting that any member of the public provides feedback to the Health Directorate on the services offered. This is one of the many ways the Health Directorate can measure if the changes made are working well or not. Your comments and suggestions are also essential in helping to guide future changes and improvements.

There are many ways in which members of the public can give feedback (it doesn’t matter if you are a patient, relative or visitor – the Directorate welcomes as much feedback as possible). You can provide feedback to the Directorate by:

Speaking to any of the nurses on duty, or any member of the Health Directorate staff (if you are in another setting)

Speaking to the Nursing Officer (for Hospital or Community) or any of the Section Heads (Dental, Pharmacy, Administration, Laboratory, Mental Health and Environmental Health)

Writing your feedback down on paper or using the Friends & Family Questionnaire. Further information on the Friends & Family Questionnaire, along with the actual form, is available on the SHG Website at: www.sainthelena.gov.sh/health-and-social-welfare/ Hardcopies will also be available across the Directorate visible within each section area or just ask your health professional

The Directorate can take details of your feedback, whether it is positive or negative. Your feedback can be recorded anonymously if you want. However it needs to be specific so that the Directorate can react to it.

If you feel more comfortable going to a Councillor with your feedback, this is welcome too. They will also ask you to be specific in your feedback to help the Directorate. They will write it down and send it on to the Directorate. Again, it can remain anonymous if you wish.

If your feedback relates to a specific case and you want this discussed, you will need to provide a clear description and the Health Directorate will need to have your contact details.

If you have a serious concern or complaint, this can be sent in writing, or please go and discuss it with a senior member of the team. The Directorate will take your complaint seriously and investigate.

If you have any questions about the Health Directorate that you wish to be answered, the service will be putting together a Q&A sheet for publication at the end of the month. Please submit any questions about the health service or structure to the Hospital Nursing Officer, Lisa Niemand, via email: lisa.niemand@sainthelena.gov.sh or by tel: 22500 ext: 2040.

The St Helena Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) held a Dive Recovery Training session with members of the Sea Rescue Service and the Dive Recovery team on Wednesday, 2 May 2018.

This training was a follow-up from a joint exercise that took place on 21 March 2018, whereby teams were challenged with a real-life scenario to execute.

The training session included looking at the procedures with regards to Body & Artefact Recovery and the preserving of evidence.

Demonstrations were given, and teams were shown the correct way to fill out logbooks, which are provided in the response packs.

Head of Investigations, DCI Michael Luke, said:

“The training was well received with good engagement throughout by all participants. The aim was to make the Dive Recovery team and Sea Rescue colleagues aware of the importance of the continuity and integrity of evidence – particularly with regards to how the Police have to exhibit and package artefacts. Likewise, any Body Recovery has to be completed in a sensitive and compassionate way. By practicing procedures, this enabled us all to fully appreciate each other’s roles and responsibilities in these situations.”

Deputy Sea Rescue Manager, Craig Scipio, concluded:

“The Sea Rescue team, along with the Dive Recovery team, were very grateful for the training session provided by the CID. It has further increased our knowledge of dive recovery which ultimately improves the service that both teams can provide. We look forward to similar training sessions in future.”

The Provisional Register of Electors will be published on Thursday, 10 May 2018.

Once the Provisional Register is published, eligible persons will then have up until Thursday, 24 May 2018, to make application to amend the Register.

Persons who are eligible to have their names entered in the Register may apply to amend the Provisional Register to add or remove their name, remove the name of someone who has died or left the Island or who might be ineligible for inclusion in the Register, change an address or electoral district in which he/she will be allowed to vote or correct any other error.

Persons eligible to be registered must:

Have St Helenian Status as defined in the Immigration Ordinance, 2011

Be 17 years of age or older with St Helena as their ordinary place of residence

There are some exceptions, such as mental incapacity or someone serving a prison sentence of 12 months or more.

For information, spouses or life partners who do not have St Helenian Status whose names were included on the Register that was published in July 2017, will be protected by virtue of the transitional provision that was included in the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017. This protection will remain in place until 30 June 2020 provided that the person concerned continues to comply with the other requirements of the Elections Ordinance.

Copies will also be held by the Assistant Registration Officer at the Castle, Jamestown, and the Assistant Registration Officer at the office of the Administrator, Ascension Island.

Applications using the prescribed form ‘A’ will need to be submitted to the Assistant Registration Officer, at the Castle by no later than 4pm on Thursday, 24 May 2018. Form ‘A’ is available on the SHG website: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/forms/Copies will also be placed at the above locations.

Further information about registering and making amendments may be obtained from Registration Officer, Gillian Francis, at the Castle on tel: 22470 or via email: gillian.francis@sainthelena.gov.sh

The final Register of Electors for the year commencing 1 July 2018 will be published in June.

If your name is not on the Register of Electors you will not be able to stand or vote in any Bye-Election or General Election. It is therefore your responsibility to check the Provisional Register and to make application to have your name included if it is not already listed.